Choosing to look back at the storied history of scholastic football in Northeast Pennsylvania transported legions of fans back in time.

It conjured up memories of sold-out stadiums, overwhelming school spirit and a time when our schoolboy athletes were heroes who could unite a community with their amazing shows of skill.

That was the task I burdened myself with this summer. For as long as I could remember, I appreciated the history and tradition of football in this area. That love grew as I tackled the Teams of the Times project.

It was a rewarding look back at the treasured past of high school football. Once I began this trip that included many long nights in the stacks of aged pages of history in the Times-Tribune archives, I couldn't stop.

Through all the long hours of clips and photos, I gained an appreciation for all that had been accomplished from our forefathers who made the same sacrifices, laid the foundation and set the standard for all those who followed to live up to.

Looking at all the numbers and reading all of the stories, I depended on input from some of our most distinguished football legends. They guided me through this journey and helped me to understand that football in this area had a treasured past.

We set some tough parameters for teams when the notion of identifying which of the best of the best would be considered for this unscientific poll of the best that ever played in this area.

There was such a big chasm in the various eras of the sport that it became an impossibility to compare teams. Instead, I learned to appreciate each of the championship programs' contributions in the bigger picture.

In comparing teams of the 1940s and 1950s, obviously it was a much different sport than today's game. Players were much smaller in stature with the lineman often averaging only 175 to 180 pounds.

But that didn't diminish their achievements.

In the 1960s and 1970s, teams began to throw the ball a bit more, but they also depended greatly on the toughness of their kids by playing rugged defense.

By the 1980s and 1990s, weight training became a difference maker and running backs were often as big and strong as the linemen of the era that proceeded them.

In the 2000s, the game has evolved and become more intricate, with big and strong athletes who could make plays and blow out the lights on the scoreboard.

In the days gone by, teams were not compared based on their enrollment size and that became the biggest factor in ranking them against each other. During the era from the 1940s all the way through the late 1980s, teams played for the Eastern Conference championship, a crown that was coveted by those in this part of the state.

Why?

Because there were times when a Class AA team would have to beat a Class AAAA team for a championship.

In those days, a true champion of high school football was crowned.

When the state playoffs took over, the measuring stick changed. Teams that played a tougher schedule and suffered losses during the regular season still had an opportunity to play for district and state titles.

Ultimately, when looking at these rankings, teams that went undefeated gained more credit. Teams that went undefeated against teams from larger classifications gained more even support.

Teams that won state titles were obviously given additional credit, but were also evaluated knowing they did so against teams of similar enrollment size.

Teams that won their district title and made an impact on the state playoffs also received credit, but a loss in the regular season hurt its chances of supplanting an undefeated team.

And teams that set records along the way to their titles also received added consideration.

It's clear that football in this area is a treasure. To rank these teams in order was a thankless task.

So while I took that challenge head on, the real goal of this project was to remember those who gave so much to the sport that this area loves so dearly.

And respect the sacrifices that those who came before have made to be a member of this area's history.

So as we finish this look back, I ask only that before fans stand in protest and argue which team was better than the other, that you all appreciate the great and significant accomplishments of all of the players and each team recognized here.

They truly deserve being considered among the best of all time.

JOBY FAWCETT, covers high school football for The Times-Tribune. He can be reached at jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com and follow him @JobyFawcett26 on Twitter

Readers' Rankings:

1

1963 Blakely Bears

2

1959 West Scranton

3

1954 Old Forge

4

1952 Old Forge

5

1965 Scranton Technical

6

1961 Old Forge

7

1997 Riverside

8

1965 Blakely Bears

9

1971 Valley View

10

1999 Abington Heights

11

1979 Scranton Central Golden Eagles

12

1991 North Pocono

13

1968 Blakely Bears

14

1987 Lakeland Chiefs

15

1989 Dunmore Bucks

16

1985 Dunmore Bucks

Times-Tribune staff rankings (taking all original 32 teams into consideration):

1

1991 North Pocono

2

1971 Valley View

3

1987 Lakeland

4

1985 Dunmore

5

1992 Valley View

6

1989 Dunmore

7

1947 Blakely

8

1952 Old Forge

9

1984 Valley View

10

1998 Abington Heights

11

1963 Blakely

12

1966 Abington Heights

13

1960 West Scranton

14

1977 Valley View

15

1954 Old Forge

16

1948 Blakely

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